The transition process

[beyondlabels]

I am close to take a step forward and transition. I am about to apply for the psychological therapy thats the begining of the process here in Spain and now I am asking myself many questions about the process itself.

I've been having very short hair and wearing male clothes for may years, but as male chothes can be easily considered unisex, 99% of the times people see me as a woman and doesn't think I am trying to pass as a man.
Once you start taking T what do you do? I don't like to be perceived as a woman that is trying to pass as a man ( and I guess no one does) so I prefer to be perceived as a woman until my face and body has changed enough to pass. So I have never wear a binder or shaved the hair on my face instead of plucking it. I have never showed my hairy legs in public, etc... When do you began to do that kind of things?  It has to be hard and confusing that time when your body looks androgynous, isn't it? How do you deal with it?

[wheat thins are delicious]

I presented as a man.  So what if some folks didn't think I looked like a man, no one ever questioned me.  It's hard yeah to be androgynous appearing as some are early in transition but it's better to learn to assert yourself as a man now than to let people think you are a woman.  It will be harder in the long run if you don't learn to do that.

[Kreuzfidel]

I would have gone nuts if I'd have had to wait for facial hair or a deep voice before even making an effort, but everyone's different.  I am still pre-T and pass 99% of the time.  Maybe I'm lucky that I don't have very feminine features, but with the right haircut and cosmetic effects I have no issues most of the time.  I know that the Real Life Test isn't mandatory, but a lot of docs require it when you start T.  If you're reluctant to present as your innate gender because you're not sure you pass, then some docs may question it.  I'm not saying they're right, but a lot of guys full-time when they start T and even before.

[beyondlabels]

...with the right haircut and cosmetic effects I have no issues most of the time.... 

What are those cosmetic effects?

[Da Monkey]

I would have gone nuts if I'd have had to wait for facial hair or a deep voice before even making an effort, but everyone's different.  I am still pre-T and pass 99% of the time.  Maybe I'm lucky that I don't have very feminine features, but with the right haircut and cosmetic effects I have no issues most of the time.

I don't think it's a fair assumption that beyondlabels doesn't pass or look male. It sounds like because he isn't doing anything different to himself (and he shouldn't have to) but knows now that he's trans other people aren't going to see him as any different.

When I first transitioned the ONLY thing I did was cut my hair shorter and wear a binder. Other than that I already did everything else to socially present myself as male. The problem with that is people don't see much of a change and still think of you as the same tomboy. I had a trans friend who had long hair and wore mini skirts and make up, all that stuff and when he came out he shaved his head, wore a binder and put on mens clothes. He of course looked like a completely different person and passed a lot. I found it frustrating because I didn't do anything that different to myself in order to pass because for me I had always appeared more masculine and felt male. Of course I am strictly talking about social gender roles and expression. I know clothes and hair doesn't make you trans or a man but people will sacrifice parts about themselves in order to be seen as their right gender.

[Natkat]

I dont put so much afford in it,
I wanna ´pass as who I am and not a steryotype,
I have tried to cut of my hair and be this very boyish person but I still seen more as a butch for that so its not like it work so much either.

[Kreuzfidel]

@ beyondlabels: The effects are using cosmetics to create a subtle skin tone difference in the beard area.  @ Da Monkey:  Agreed, but I wasn't making assumptions.  If you read the original post, he said that 99% of the time he was percieved as a woman.